


Bifurcation

by Mattecat



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe, Child Neglect, Gen, LGBTQ Themes, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Trans Male Kai (Ninjago), the fic no one wanted but by god you're getting it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2020-10-10 04:24:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20521898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mattecat/pseuds/Mattecat
Summary: Krux had no reason to believe he was a twin. Twins brought doom and destruction to the realm – if he had been a twin, surely he would've been killed as a baby, just as he was called to kill the twins of Maya and Ray. But when the truth is revealed, Krux drops everything to join with Maya, Ray, and their twin children, and search for his missing sibling.[Warnings apply to later chapters and are subject to change.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> do you want a krux au fic? no? too fucking bad you're getting it.
> 
> so my biggest draw to acronix and krux as characters is that they're siblings who love each other, so here's a fic where they were separated at birth and grew up not knowing the other existed.
> 
> ummmmm bucket list will be updated next week with the final chapter so I feel justified in starting a new chaptered fic right now. thanks for reading
> 
> [ IF YOU SHIP ACRONIX & KRUX WITH EACH OTHER DO NOT INTERACT ]

Krux had only once wished he wasn't an only child. He was twelve years old and complaining to his father that he was lonely, there was no one to play with in their home, why couldn't he have a sibling?

He never forgot the slap across his face, his father's harsh, whispered words: "For your mother's sake, never speak of such a thing."

Krux's mother had died in childbirth. Krux rubbed his aching cheek and stayed quiet.

Krux was eighteen, and his father lay dying in bed. Krux visited him when he had to and stayed far away when he didn't. His father passed alone, and Krux inherited all his mother's belongings, finally succeeding her as the Master of Time. He took his place among the other elemental masters, shrugging off their sympathy for the loss of his father, and continued his lonely life.

After the funeral, Ninjago went on as normal. The markets bustled. The children grew up. Elemental masters were rarely called upon to serve Ninjago, and the element of time was needed even less. Discontentment stewed in Krux's heart, and he did not make friends with the other elemental masters.

Krux was twenty-eight years old when the twins were discovered.

* * *

The two elemental masters were dragged out before the emperor. Maya was holding two young children to her chest, whispering soft words to try and soothe their wailing. Ray ignited his hands and glared at the guards with fists of flame, daring them to approach, goading them into using their heavy vengestone bludgeons.

Krux had no sympathy. It was a failure on the parents' part to hide them for nearly half a year. Twins would bring misfortune and misery to the family that born them – and twins from elemental masters? They would bring doom to the land.

"Your Majesty," Maya pleaded. "They're just children! They've done nothing wrong!"

The empress' voice is soft and kind. "I know, Master of Water. It is not their fault. It is never their fault. I will mourn them as if they were my own."

"You don't have to kill them!" Ray shouted. "This is wrong! They shouldn't die!"

"You know we must," the emperor said sternly. "Master of Fire, you have been loyal to Ninjago for many years. Why has this changed? Do you want to call upon dark forces to snuff out the light?"

Krux heard a quiet noise beside him. When he shifted his head, he saw Garmadon standing straight and stiff, his brother Wu beside him. Though they looked little alike, they were close enough in age that they had been mistaken for twins before.

"This must end," the emperor said. "Master of Time, step forward."

He didn't, not at first, thinking the emperor couldn't have possibly meant him. Then the Master of Metal nudged him in the side and Krux snapped out of it. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said, moving forward from the semicircle of elemental masters.

The emperor nodded at him. "For centuries, Masters of Time have been the keepers of order, ensuring that Ninjago continues as it has. Your mother had this duty as well."

Krux hadn't heard of this before, but as his eyes fell on Maya and her two, screaming children, he knew what was to come next.

The emperor motioned to him, and Krux moved to the foot of the throne. "Restore order, Master of Time," the emperor said, drawing his sword and holding it out to him. "Kill the twins."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Krux repeated.

He turned towards Maya and Ray. The children quieted and stared at him with wide eyes. Ray stepped in front of them and his wife, his fire blazing. Krux did not make friends with the other elemental masters, and as he met the anger in Ray's eyes, he knew the Master of Fire would not hold back. Krux concentrated his power.

Just as Ray prepared a fireball, his body froze, suspended in a glowing red aura. Time had stopped for him. Krux stepped around him and approached Maya and the twins. One of the children resumed wailing.

Maya took a step back. "So it's your duty to kill all twins, is it?" she said, her voice trembling. "Are you prepared for what that means?"

What an odd question. "I am prepared to serve Ninjago," was all Krux said in response. He raised his sword; he'd have to move before Ray broke out of the time-stop. "Which is clearly not the case for you."

Maya hugged her children close. "What if it was you?" she whispered. "What would you do then?"

"If I fathered twins, I would –"

He heard the Ray move behind him, and Krux spun around to block a blow that didn't come. Ray glared at him, then turned away to face the emperor.

"You may trust your Master of Time," he spat, "but you don't know everything about him, do you?!"

What was Ray saying? Krux thought back to the discontentment in his heart, drunken talks of how the emperor and empress weren't even elemental masters, why should they be in power? If Ray were to reveal Krux's ambitions –

He moved with the sword, but Maya caught him off guard and hooked her arm around his throat. "You will listen," she hissed, increasing the pressure until he struggled to breathe. "Don't think of using your powers. This is not something you can reverse."

The twins were both wailing again, almost directly in his ear. Krux grit his teeth and adjusted his grip on the sword.

Ray's voice rang out:

"The former Master of Time died in childbirth," he said. "But had she only borne one child, she would have survived! No, it was Krux's _twin_ that killed her!"

Time seemed to stop once more, for Krux, for everyone. He heard the other elemental masters whispering. He broke out of Maya's grip – she almost seemed to let him go – and stared at the back of Ray's head.

"After she died," Ray continued, "her husband sent the younger twin away. Only my father knew, and he was the one to tell me." He turned to face Krux. "Have you ever wondered," he said, "why you only inherited half your mother's powers? This is why, Krux. This is –"

The emperor raised a hand. Ray fell silent.

Krux swallowed hard and realized what was to come. His hands glowed orange with his power.

Time shuddered and reversed.

The events flashed by as his body retraced its steps. When time resumed, Krux was standing with his back to Ray, holding the sword, advancing towards Maya and her twins. Ray had just broken out of the time-stop, and Krux turned around and dropped the sword.

He heard Maya gasp. Ray stared at him. "What are you –" he started, only to stop when Krux grabbed his collar.

"Where is my twin?" he hissed.

Ray's eyes widened. "How do you know –"

"Master of Time," the emperor said, "what is the meaning of –"

Krux hit him with a time-stop, then realized the magnitude of what he had done. The empress screamed. Cries rose up from the other elemental masters.

Maya grabbed his arm. "We have to leave now," she said. "Will you help us?"

Krux let go of Ray and ran.

He regretted dropping the sword when he saw the guards advancing with their vengestone bludgeons. Krux closed his eyes and focused, calling on all his elemental power could give him.

The entire room froze in time.

The effort drained him; Krux had to take a few deep breaths before he ran, bursting through the doors and down the hall, too fast for the guards outside to react.

His room in the palace wasn't far; he ran through the door, grabbed his money and a handful of valuables, and was gone before the guards caught up. He had to use his time-stop powers again on the guards when he got to the palace gates, and nearly crashed into Ray and Maya again in his haste.

"Wait!" Maya blocked his way, holding her children. Krux skidded to a stop and glared at her.

"Out of my way," he snapped.

Maya shook her head. "We don't have much time. Do you want to know where your twin is? Come with us."

Ray spoke up. "Maya, are you sure –"

"As certain as I can be," Maya said. "What do you say, Master of Time?"

Krux eyed the frozen guards. "Fine," he said, and they ran.

* * *

They took a small rowboat, moored just off the docks. No one noticed them as they haul their things onto it. "I can steer us," Maya said. "Ray, can you – ?"

Ray took the children from her once he was safely in the boat. "Shh," he whispered when they started to cry again. "We'll be alright, don't you worry."

Krux sat down and watched Maya, who stood at the stern and raised her hands. The water pushed them out onto the ocean, slowly at first, then faster and faster.

"They won't catch us," Maya said.

"Where are we going?" Krux asked.

"There's a village near the peninsula," Ray said. "I know someone there. She's our best bet at staying hidden."

"What about my twin?"

Maya glanced back at him. "Before we find your twin, we need to make sure we're not caught," she said. "I promise, we'll find him."

"So you don't know where they are," Krux said. "How do you know they're a him?"

"Ray's father knew. He always referred to the child as a boy." They were far from the shore now, and Maya lowered her hands. The sea around them is calm. "What else would you like to know?" she said, turning to him.

Krux took a deep breath. "Everything," he said. "What happened? When my father…"

"It's not much," Ray said. "Why don't you row for a bit?"

Krux frowned, but Maya had used her powers to get them out of danger, and Krux wouldn't be much use with the toddlers. Maya took one of her children from Ray, and Krux shifted his position to take the oars and row.

"Your father came to mine soon after the birth," Ray said. "The baby wasn't even cleaned. Our fathers were friends for some time before that, but after your mother's death… well. Your father wanted the child to be killed. My father disagreed."

"How do you know he's alive?" Krux asked.

"All I know is that my father refused to kill your twin. What happened after that… we can make some educated guesses."

"Guesses?"

Ray shrugged. "The knowledge of what happened died when he did, but I think my father must have sent the baby away. It would have to be someone he trusted well enough to keep it secret, and there aren't a lot of candidates – though I didn't keep track of my father's friends."

Krux pursed his lips. "So you can't help me."

"The person we're going to see will have help for all of us," Maya said.

The baby she held reached for her hair. Maya carefully untangled the strands from her child's hand. "Oh, Nya," she said, "my sweet little Nya…"

"Nya," Krux repeated. "What's the other one's name?"

"Ling," Ray said. "Both girls. Don't know which one will get which element yet, but…"

"You said I only inherited half my mother's powers," Krux said suddenly. "Is that true?"

Ray blinked. "Did you not know?"

"No. I never knew my mother, and no one seemed keen on telling me much about her." Krux thought back to what the emperor said, about the Master of Time keeping order. "What other powers did she have?"

"Couldn't she speed up and slow down time?" Maya said. "She died before I was born, though, so I don't know for certain."

"From what I heard, the power was very similar to the element of speed," Ray said. "Just through a different… conduit, maybe."

While Krux listened to Ray, his eyes fell on the child. Ling stared right back, meeting Krux's eyes with a surprisingly serious gaze for a baby. He raised his eyebrows at her. Ling screwed up her face and started to cry.

"Oh, no, little girl…" Ray bounced her up and down. "It's alright, we're safe now… Maya, do you think they're hungry?"

"Ling was fussy last time I fed her," Maya said. "She might've not gotten enough. Here, take Nya."

They traded children, and Maya shifted position and unbuttoned her shirt. Krux watched until he realized she was about to breastfeed and quickly looked away, his cheeks flushed.

"We're going to be wanted criminals," he said. "Do you have any idea how we're going to get around without anyone recognizing us?"

"That will be our job," Maya said. "Your job is to row."

Krux grimaced, but he didn't have much of a choice. They were all fugitives now, and Krux had no friends who could help him.

He thought about his twin. Who was he? A man with half the element of time – how did he stay hidden? Was he a man at all, same age as Krux, or had he been discovered and killed as a child?

Well. Krux supposed he would find out soon enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hm hm I was gonna wait until tomorrow to post this but, posting new chapters of a fic cheers me up, and im WICKED depressed these days, so have a new chapter.
> 
> remember to like comment subscribe if you enjoy. especially comment. ilu

They landed at a rocky beach, where the forest grew almost up to the water. Maya carried Ling and Nya while Ray and Krux dragged the boat into the brush. Krux helped hide it to the best of his ability, then straightened up and looked around. "Where are we?" he asked.

"Close to our destination," Maya said. "We're going to have to split up."

"Excuse me?"

"Maya's right," Ray said. "At the least, Maya and I will have to go separately. We can't keep our children together."

Right – Ling and Nya looked so alike, if someone saw them together, they'd be instantly recognized as twins. Krux nodded and said nothing.

"Libber lives near the outskirts of town," Maya said. "Ray, how should we…?"

Ray frowned. "Krux, you come with me. Maya… will you be alright on your own?"

She smiled. "Of course I will. You know I can handle myself."

"And you know I worry. Which one of us should go first?"

They decided Maya would go to Libber's house first, with one of the children, while Ray and Krux would take the other and leave after a decent chunk of time. Maya took Ling and kissed Ray before walking into the forest. Krux sat down on a relatively flat rock and sighed.

"You don't have any money, do you?" he said.

"No," Ray responded. "We didn't have time to prepare."

"I would've thought you had a year, almost. You should've known this was going to happen."

Ray glared at him. "I don't want to hear anything from the man who saw nothing wrong with murdering my wife and children."

Krux bristled. "I had my orders. What was I supposed to do? Refuse, and be executed for it?"

"Isn't that what you did? Refuse?" Ray cracked a smile. "We'll all be executed if we're caught."

Krux opened his mouth, but Ray spoke before he could.

"I don't trust you," he said. "I don't doubt you'd give us up in a heartbeat if it suited you. So you can expect the same from me. If ratting you out would earn my wife and my children a few more days of safety, I'd do it."

"Fine," Krux snapped, and he turned away. The next moment, a particularly large wave splashed the edge of the rock he sat on, spraying his clothes with saltwater. He swore and jumped up while Ray laughed.

"Careful, Master of Time," he said. Nya, wrapped up in his arms, let out a happy screech.

Eventually, it was time to move.

* * *

The town was quiet, with only a few people walking around. Ray and Krux walked through rows of empty stalls in the closed-down marketplace; it would open again in the morning, but Krux was hoping they'd be gone by then. He took a deep breath and forced down his rising unease. No one paid them much attention, even as Nya giggled and put her hands on Ray's face.

"The house should be over here," Ray said, pointing with his free hand. "Have you met Libber before? She's the Master of Lightning."

"Was she at the execution?" Krux asked.

Ray turned and glared at him. "No. You may have noticed a lot of elemental masters were missing. I'm surprised Wu and Garmadon made an appearance, but…"

"Hm. Do you know them well?"

"We were acquaintances, at most. All I know is that they're much older than they look." Ray turned away. "They say they're the Masters of Creation and Destruction, but no one knows their parents, or where they came from. The Emperor and Empress must know, because he would have never let them join the elemental masters without having some idea of their lineage."

Krux grunted and let the conversation end.

He could see the house Ray was aiming for, on the outskirts of town. It was surrounded by a modest vegetable garden and a large, dead tree that had clearly been struck by lightning. Krux wondered if it was natural or if Libber had practiced her powers on it. The gate was easily unlatched, and Ray walked up to the steps and knocked.

Maya answered, holding Ling. As she leaned in to kiss her husband, Krux caught her whisper in his ear: "Say nothing about the baby."

"What?" Ray said. "Do you mean Ling and –"

"Maya, is that him?" a cheerful voice said. "Come in! Come in!"

Maya stepped back to let Ray and Krux inside. "There's two of us, actually," Ray said. "I'm sorry for imposing on you like this, Libber. This is Krux, have you, uh…"

Libber beamed at them. She was a short woman with blonde curls and a face dotted with freckles, and she carried a baby on her hip. "I've heard of you, Master of Time," she said while the baby drooled on her shirt. "Nice to meet you. I'm glad you're helping my friends and their adorable babies, oh my God, look at them!"

She waved at Ling and Nya. Ling gurgled and smiled back, while Nya was looking in the wrong direction. "Did you want something to eat?" Libber said. "Maya was just about to help me with dinner! Ray, Krux, you can set the table."

She turned and walked off, adjusting her grip on the baby as she did so. Maya handed Ling to Ray and was about to follow Libber before Krux put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong with the baby?" he asked. "It looks perfectly fine to me."

Maya shook her head. "I'll explain later," she whispered. "Not where she can hear. Don't mention the baby in front of her."

She pulled away and went through the door Libber had passed through. Krux looked at Ray, but the other man looked just as confused as he was. Krux decided it was best to obey Maya's instructions for now, so he shrugged and went into the next room. "Where are the dishes?" he asked, while Maya stirred a pot.

Libber pointed with her free hand at a cabinet. "We're having soup, so get the bowls. I don't care about etiquette, so don't bother with that. Just bowls and spoons. Maybe some of the little plates, too, I got some bread yesterday, and it'll go stale if no one eats it."

He found four mismatched bowls, but couldn't find the plates. Krux decided not to go looking for them. The table was barely big enough for two people, let alone four adults and three babies; the plates would only take up more room. He placed each bowl with a spoon and stood there awkwardly, waiting for his next instructions.

"Krux," Maya said, "could you check on Ray for me?"

Krux glanced through the doorway. "He's fine," he said, spotting him on the couch with the twins.

"I said, could you go check on him for me?"

Krux decided to go check on Ray.

When he saw Krux walk in, Ray put Ling and Nya on his lap and patted the pillow beside him. Krux sat, unsure of what else to do. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Honestly?" said Ray. "I'm not sure myself. But I have an idea. It's been over a year since I last saw Libber, but apparently she's had a child during that time."

Krux snorted. "Clearly."

"You don't know Libber. She told Maya and I that she would never have a child. She hated the idea of losing her elemental power, and emperor's mandate be damned, the lightning line would end with her." Ray stopped Ling from crawling off the couch and glanced at the door. "There's still the possibility that the child isn't hers… but it looks as if she's been breastfeeding."

"How can you tell?"

"Well, having a wife who's breastfeeding helps you to recognize the signs."

"So you're an expert," Krux said. "What does this mean?"

"We'll have to ask Maya to be sure," Ray said, "but from the looks of it, Libber had a baby that she did not want."

"How does that effect us?"

Ray shrugged. "Again, we'll have to ask Maya. For now, I think it's best we do as we're told. Libber might be an old friend, but after so many changes…" He shook his head. "We're guests in her house. Let's not upset her."

Krux nodded.

Maya called from the kitchen. "Ray, Krux, it's ready!"

Krux stood up while Ray gathered Ling and Nya, and they went to sit down and eat. Midway through the meal, Libber's baby started fussing, and she stood up and excused herself. When she came back, she didn't have the baby. None of them said a word.

* * *

After dinner, it was time to figure out who was sleeping where. "I don't have a guest room," Libber said, "and the couch can only fit one person. Maya, what are you going to do about your kids?"

Maya sighed. "I don't know. If you have some baskets and blankets, maybe we can put something together…"

"I might have something. Let me check my room."

Libber walked a few steps, then paused. "Oh, right," she said. "Ray, Krux, you weren't here for this, but my room is off limits. I don't care if it's an emergency, you knock on the door and wait for me to come out."

"I understand," Ray said.

"I doubt it." Libber snorted. "Just as long as you don't go in."

She walked out. Krux heard a door open and close. "Where were you planning on sleeping?" he said to Ray and Maya. "The couch won't fit both of you."

"You can take the couch," Ray said. "Maya and I will sleep on the floor. I can guarantee you none of us are going to get much sleep with Ling and Nya here."

"They don't sleep through the night?" Krux said.

Maya laughed. "You clearly don't have any experience with babies."

Krux thought that much was obvious. He rolled his eyes and turned away.

Eventually, Libber returned with two baskets that looked like they were designed for babies, as well as an armful of blankets. Maya stood up and grabbed the baskets from her before she could drop them. "Thanks," Libber said. "Can you get settled by yourself? I have something I need to take care of, and I'm very tired."

"Of course," Maya said. "Have a good night, Libber."

Libber put down the blankets and hugged her. "You too, Maya. It's so good to see you again – and your children, of course!"

"What, not me?" Ray said. Libber just laughed.

Once she was gone, Krux picked out a blanket and took some of the cushions off the couch. Even with the extra room, it wasn't very big, and Krux suspected that he would have a hard time getting to sleep under normal circumstances.

"Should I put the girls to sleep?" Ray asked.

"How is Libber going to help me find my twin?" Krux asked.

Both Ray and Maya glanced at him for an instant before turning to each other. "We didn't even have the chance to tell Libber you are a twin yet," Maya said. "This was… unplanned."

"You said she'd have help for all of us," Krux said. "Did you lie?"

Maya snorted. "Nothing so malicious," she said. "I'm certain Libber can help you and us both, but we need to be careful. Our children will be killed if we're discovered."

Not to mention Krux himself. He wordlessly pulled the blanket over him and lay down.

Ray chuckled. "Like it or not, you're stuck with us," he said. "You could try to enjoy it."

"Tomorrow," Maya said. "We'll ask Libber what she knows. You'll be able to start searching then."

"Alright," Krux said. "Then I'll see you in the morning."

On cue, Nya began to fuss. When she heard her sister, Ling stirred as well, and before long, both of them were crying. Krux covered his head with the pillow and waited to fall asleep.

* * *

After a restless night, Krux woke up when the morning sunlight streamed in through the window. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Maya and Ray were asleep on the floor, their twins settled in their baskets. Krux stood and carefully navigated out of the room without waking anybody up.

No one was in the kitchen. Krux poked around the cabinets, but found nothing in the way of coffee. He sighed, closed the last cabinet he had opened, and turned around to see Libber staring at him.

Krux yelped, then slapped a hand over his mouth. Libber chuckled. "Didn't expect to see me?" she said. "It's my house. Did you find anything good?"

She didn't have the baby with her. Krux didn't comment, remembering Maya's warning. "You don't have coffee, do you?" he said. "I looked, but…"

Libber shook her head. "Nope. And for future reference, ask before going through my stuff."

"Ah. Sorry."

"Don't do it again. Move over."

Krux stepped to the side and let Libber into the cabinet. She took out a tall glass and filled it with tapwater. "God," she muttered. "I wish I could drink again. You drink at all, Krux?"

"Not often." Krux thought back to the few times he drank with the other elemental masters. He wasn't quite an angry drunk, but he did shout enough for them to stop inviting him back.

Libber drank from the glass. "My ex said I was an alcoholic," she said, "and he wasn't totally wrong, but, y'know, I quit when I had to. Forced to, more like."

"Really," said Krux, his eyes flicking to the door.

"Really! I thought the marriage would be great, and the wedding was the best day of my life, but…" She sighed. "I told him I didn't want kids, and apparently that was too much to ask. Haven't officially divorced yet, though. Too much paperwork. We're separate, that's for sure."

This was way too much information about someone Krux had barely met. "Uh huh," he said, and he took a step towards the exit. "I'd love to hear more, but…"

Muffled crying cut through the air. Libber jerked her head towards her room. "Goddammit," she said, and she dumped the rest of her water in the sink. "Goddammit!" she repeated, louder this time.

Krux stood there awkwardly as Libber stormed off. Her bedroom door open and slammed. When Krux moved back to the living room, the noise had woken up Maya and Ray. "Krux?" Maya said blearily. "What was that?"

He shrugged. "Had a talk with Libber. I'm not sure what happened afterwards."

"You didn't mention…"

"No, I did not."

Ray sat up and stretched before checking on Ling and Nya. "Now's as good as any time to start the day," he said. "Let's discuss our next steps."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello welcome to chapter. comments are GREATLY appreciated – this is one of my less popular fics, so comments mean even more to me bc I get so few of them.
> 
> EDIT: forgot to add a warning – there's some discussion of trans man pregnancy in this chapter, which I understand can make ppl uncomfortable, so just be aware of it.

Libber exited her room holding the baby while Ray was folding the blankets he and Maya had used. "Oh, don't worry about that," she said. "You were almost executed. I can handle having crap on my floor."

The baby stared at Maya, who was holding Ling and Nya. "About that," Maya said, avoiding eye contact. "How much do you know?"

Libber shrugged. "You had twins, there was an execution scheduled, all the elemental masters were supposed to show up, but hell if I'm going to watch one of my oldest friends be killed."

"There were no orders to kill Ray and Maya," Krux pointed out. "Just the twins."

"Still!" Libber exclaimed. "I know what they say about twins, but honestly? I've never believed in that crap. If you want to keep your twins, Maya, then by God, I'll support you."

Maya smiled. "Thank you."

"So let's figure out what we're doing." Libber gestured for them to come into the kitchen, and they all sat down at the table. "Maya, Ray," she started, "you're going to be criminals, so it's probably best if you don't leave the house, at least not with your kids. Oh, wait… maybe you could try disguises?"

"It could work," Ray said, but Maya shook her head.

"It's too risky," she said. "It would only take one person to recognize us."

"Makes sense," Libber said. "I don't want you in more danger. So what's your story, Krux?"

Krux blinked and didn't respond right away. Ray looked at him with a frown. "That's right," he said. "We still don't know why you stopped the execution. How did you know you were a twin?"

"Whoa, what?" said Libber. Krux sighed.

"Well," he said, choosing his words carefully, "I wasn't going to disobey the emperor, at first. That version of events had you restraining me and announcing to the emperor that I was a twin, and I simply… rewound time to find a better outcome."

Libber stared at him with wide eyes. "You're a twin?" she exclaimed. "Is that why Equinox –"

"I'm told that's how my mother died, yes." Krux took a deep breath. "Ray's father was the only one who knew what happened to my brother," he said. "I'm trying to find him. As far as we know, he wasn't killed, but…"

Libber nodded. "Wow!" she said. "I can't say I'll be much help with that, but you're friends with Maya, so I'll do my best. Or, y'know, at least put some effort in. Is your brother also a Master of Time?"

"Possibly," Ray said. "We know Krux only received half his mother's powers, so his twin would have the other half. We're just… not sure what those powers are."

"Do you have any other leads?"

"My father sent the baby away, presumably with someone he trusted, but I'm not entirely sure who that would be." Ray furrowed his brow. "I know he was close to your father, Libber, but… I'm guessing we can rule that option out."

"Yeah," Libber said. "Though I wonder –"

The baby in her arms babbled and pulled at her hair. Libber yelped and nearly dropped him. Maya stood up to help, but Libber shook her head. "I'm fine!" she said. "I'm fine! Just – sit back down, Maya!"

Maya hesitated, but with the intensity with which Libber barked the last words, she did as she was told. Libber regained her hold on the baby and sighed. "God," she said. "I can't… never mind. Give me a moment, I'm putting Jay in my room."

She stood up and left, leaving Maya, Ray, and Krux sitting in an awkward silence.

"How long are we supposed to keep this up?" Krux said once Libber was out of earshot.

"Krux, be quiet," Maya snapped.

"No, I'm serious. She has a baby. She's not trying to hide it. We even know his name, now – Jay." Krux shook his head. "Are we just supposed to pretend he doesn't exist?"

"Krux has a point," Ray said. "We don't know if she's capable of taking care of him."

"She's plenty capable," Maya said. "You don't know her like I do."

"You haven't seen her in over a year, Maya. She may be capable, but if she didn't want the baby…"

Libber reentered the room without the baby, and they all fell silent.

Maya smiled at her. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, it's fine." Libber sat back down. "Now that you mention it, Ray, my dad might know something. Maybe your dad didn't give him the baby, but they were friends, and my dad was like me; never believed in superstitious stuff. He would've been a good person to confide in."

"Where does your father live?" Krux asked, maybe a little too quickly. Libber laughed, and Krux felt his cheeks flush.

"He's in this same town, actually," Libber said. "After splitting with Cliff, I moved here to be closer to him. We could visit him today."

Maya and Ray glanced at each other, and Libber caught the motion. "Don't worry, you two," she said. "You're safest staying here with your kids. Krux and I will go by ourselves."

"I'm just as much of a criminal as they are," Krux said. "How will I evade recognition?"

Libber shrugged. "It's only been a night. News doesn't travel that fast. I think you'll be fine, but if you're worried, you can try a disguise."

Krux grimaced. "It's better than nothing," he said. "When do we leave?"

"Not just yet, there's something I need to ask." She turned back to Maya and Ray. "How long were you planning on staying?"

Maya opened her mouth and hesitated. "I don't know," she said. "I… I don't know where else we could go, not when Ling and Nya look so much alike…"

Libber smiled. "Maya, you can stay as long as you need, alright? It just might be awkward, at first. Everyone else in the village thinks I live alone, so I'll have to make up a story to tell them. Really, Maya, you're always welcome here."

Maya nodded. "Thank you," she said softly. "Thank you so much."

"Don't worry about it, really." Libber stood up. "Krux, let's get ready. I can tell you're antsy, and I don't need an excuse to visit my dad. Maya, can you help with the disguise?"

* * *

Maya tied back Krux's hair while Libber carefully applied makeup on him. It felt strange on his face, but Krux supposed he could get used to it. When the disguise was done, he looked in the mirror and examined his reflection. He looked… different. Hopefully it would be different enough to fool anyone who would otherwise recognize him.

"Alright," Libber said. "Give me one minute."

She disappeared into her room and returned shortly with Jay. The baby was dressed in a tiny shirt, and it occurred to Krux he had never before seen the baby wearing anything other than a diaper. He glanced at Maya, who was staring at him with narrowed eyes, as if reminding him of her warning: "Say nothing about the baby."

"I'm all set!" Libber said brightly. "Maya, Ray, you two hold down the fort until we get back. Shouldn't be too long. Don't answer the door for anyone."

They stepped outside. Libber locked the door behind her. "Have you met my dad before?" she asked Krux. "He lived in the palace for a long time. You might have seen him when you were a kid."

"I doubt it," Krux said. "I barely remember seeing you, let alone the previous Master of Lightning."

"Yeah, they hardly ever call us together. I don't think I have a room in the palace. I mean, I *have* one, but I don't use it." Libber shrugged. "For all I know, they use it for storage."

Krux nodded. "I already live close to the palace," he said. "It wasn't too complicated to bring some of my things there. Awfully convenient, too."

"Huh. Where do you live, normally?"

"In the capital, a few miles out from the palace. I inherited my father's house when he passed."

Libber laughed. "Better than my crappy house, right? Too bad you can't go back."

"Well…"

The baby Jay reached for Krux. Libber adjusted her hold on him, positioning him on her other side. Krux made his decision.

"When Ray and I arrived," he began, "Maya told us not to mention your baby."

Libber stiffened. "Good call," she said, her voice devoid of the cheeriness she had spoken with moments before. "And?"

Krux struggled for words. "I'm… uncomfortable with the idea that we're supposed to ignore this baby, no matter the circumstances," he said. "I don't want to cause you distress, but –"

"I get it," Libber interrupted. "You're worried about me, or Jay, or both, but honestly? I'm taking care of him fine. I'm taking care of myself, too. I just need to pretend for a while, alright?"

"Pretend?"

Libber groaned. "That I'm still a normal woman. That my life is free. That I don't have this – this parasite sucking away my elemental powers. Just give me that, and mind your own damn business."

None of that sounded healthy, for Libber or the baby. But with the bitterness she spoke the last words, Krux nodded and decided not to antagonize her further. "Alright. I apologize."

Jay squirmed in Libber's arms. She sighed. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't ask Maya to tell you that, but… I didn't argue with it, either. You don't have to pretend Jay doesn't exist, just don't bring him up unless you absolutely have to. Like, he's about to stick his hand in the fireplace or something."

"That's oddly specific."

"Sure is! It's why I keep him in my room, most of the time." Libber smiled. "Babies are so stupid. It's a miracle any of us manage to survive to adulthood."

Krux nodded. "Thank you. I understand this is hard for you."

"Yeah, yeah. I guess it's a good thing you brought it up before we met my dad, 'cause he loves Jay. WOuldn't stand for it if you tried to ignore him."

Libber's father lived in a large house, and one of his assistants opened the door for Libber and Krux when they arrived. "Oh!" she said, beaming at them. "Libber, you didn't say you were visiting! Donny will be so happy you've come – who is this?"

Libber looked at Krux, and Krux realized they hadn't come up with a fake name. Thinking fast, he forced a smile and held out his hand. "Sander Saunders," he said. "It's nice to meet you, miss…?"

"Gloria," the woman said, returning the handshake. "Are you Libber's friend?"

"Yes," Libber said. "He's in the neighborhood for a few days. I hope it's not a problem that I've brought him over."

"Of course not, don't worry about it. Your father will be glad to have the company."

She moved aside to let them in and closed the door behind them. "Give me one moment," she said. "I'll let him know you're here."

Once Gloria was out of earshot, Libber leaned in close to Krux. "'Sander Saunders?' Really?"

Krux's cheeks grew hot. "Oh, shut up. It's not like 'Libber' is any better."

"Oh, funny. You better not say that in front of my dad."

Gloria returned shortly. "Donny's in the bedroom," she said. "Come with me."

"My dad doesn't really walk anymore," Libber said to Krux as they followed Gloria deeper into the house. "Just so you know. He was already pretty old when he had me, so…"

She trailed off. "He's still got some years left in him," Gloria said with a kind smile. "He's very healthy for his age. You don't have to worry too much about him, Libber."

"Yeah," Libber said. "I just, y'know, wonder how much is too mich."

The bedroom was just up the stairs. When they entered the room, the old man sitting up in bed smiled at him. At first glance, Krux almost thought he was a woman, but Libber would have said something if they were visiting her mother.

"Oh, Libber!" her father said, squinting at her through thick glasses. He had wavy hair much like Libber's own, though cut much shorter and gone white with age. "My darling daughter, did you bring Jay?"

Libber didn't flinch. "Yeah, of course," she said. "I mean, where would I put him? Babies need constant attention, y'know?"

Donny patted the blanket in front of him, and Libber placed Jay on his lap. Jay immediately reached for Donny, who laughed and gently grasped the baby's tiny hands in his own. "Who's your friend?" he asked, nodding at Krux. "Did you find someone better than Cliff?"

"No," Krux said much too fast.

Libber snorted. "'Better than Cliff' is a pretty low bar, but no, we're not dating. Gloria, could you leave us alone for a bit?"

"Of course," Gloria said, and she left the room. Donny raised an eyebrow.

"What's this about, Libber?" he asked, making sure Jay didn't crawl off the bed.

Libber sat down on the edge of the bed and gestured for Krux to sit down in a nearby chair. "Is it alright if I tell him?" she asked. "I mean, if you want to find out…"

Krux nodded and turned to Donny. "My name is Krux, the Master of Time," he said. "I… recently found out I have a twin brother."

"Ah," said Donny. "So you're here about Acronix."

Krux opened his mouth, but no words came out. The name echoed in his head; _Acronix._ He was here about Acronix. Who else could it be? The name even sounded right – Equinox, Krux, Acronix.

Libber spoke while Krux couldn't. "So you do know something!" she said. "Equinox's husband brought the twin to Ray's dad, and I know you two were close."

Donny nodded, his face falling into a frown. "I had hoped I wouldn't have to tell this story to you, Libber," he said. It's been a long time since I had to face that part of my life."

"What're you talking about?"

Krux took a few deep breaths while Donny picked up Jay, cradling him in his arms.

"It started before you were born, Libber," he said. "The previous emperor was putting pressure on me to have a child and pass down my powers, but… you know my condition made it difficult. I've told you that much before."

"Yeah," Libber said, glancing at Krux before turning back to her father. "So what happened?"

"Kun – Ray's father – knew of my condition, and he supported me during this time, but once Ray was born, he spent most of his time with his own family. One day, he came to me in the dead of night, and asked if I could take in a baby."

"My twin," Krux said. "Acronix."

Donny nodded. "Kun told me everything. How the Master of Time had died in childbirth. How her husband asked him to dispose of the younger twin. He almost did it, too."

Libber gasped. Donny shook his head, rocking Jay. "Oh, Kun believed in the power of twins to bring evil," he said. "He didn't want to kill an infant, but he would have done his duty, had Chares not told him the boy's name."

Krux's hands were sweaty. He only noticed when he tightened his grip on the chair's armrests. "Did my mother…"

"Equinox's final act was to name both of her children," Donny said. "She wanted you and your twin to live. Knowing that, Chares couldn't bring himself to kill Acronix himself – and once he admitted this to Kun, neither could he."

Never had Krux's father told him his mother's final actions. All he would say was that she died in childbirth. A terrible tragedy, Krux knew. As a child, Krux wondered if his mother would love him, or if she resented him in the Departed Realm for killing her – and here he was, years after his father's death, discovering that his mother had named him with her dying breath.

Krux and Acronix.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you didn't keep the baby," Libber said.

Donny chuckled. "No. Kun knew of my struggled to comply with the emperor's mandate. He thought that since he was the child of an elemental master, Acronix might have been susceptible to receiving my powers. It's happened before – elemental masters passing their powers down to a child of no relation to them, but in this case, I was already pregnant with you, Libber."

Krux blinked. "Your wife was expecting," he said, trying to make sense of Donny's statement.

"Ah, no," Donny said. "You haven't met someone like me before, have you?"

"Someone like…?" Krux searched for a different explanation and came up with nothing.

Jay was almost asleep, his head resting against Donny's chest. "You see, when I was a baby, everyone told me I was female, and I didn't have the ability to tell them otherwise. I was much older when I realized I was a man. I'm transgender, have you heard of that before?"

"Yes," Krux lied.

Donny shrugged. "Good enough. So I'm a man who can get pregnant – could, anyhow. I'm far too old for it now. I was reluctant to do it, but the emperor was pressuring me… and in the end, a couple months of agony was worth it to have my daughter."

Libber sighed. "I know, Dad," she said. "So you were pregnant, and you didn't take the baby. What did Ray's dad do then?"

"He said he was going to find a family for Acronix, but we didn't talk much after that." A pained look crossed Donny's face. "Something changed. Kun thought differently of me for complying with the mandate. I lost many friends then, Libber."

She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Dad," she said. "We only need to know what happened to Acronix. You don't need to tell us more."

"I'm afraid I don't know anything else. I'm sorry if it's not much."

"This is…" Krux stopped, tried again. "This is more than enough," he said. "I know his name now. Acronix. My brother's name is Acronix."

"Might not still be," Libber said. "I mean, the family who got him might've changed it."

"It's more than I had before," he said. "Thank you, Donny."

"Thank you for visiting." Donny smiled. "I wish you the best of luck in finding your twin."

Libber let Gloria know she could come back in, and the visit ended soon after that."

* * *

"Was your mother also transgender?" Krux asked Libber on the walk home. "I… have to assume so, given that one can't become pregnant without, ah…"

Libber chuckled. "I had two dads," she said. "My pa died a few years ago, though. Broke my dad's heart." She looked down at Jay, who was whining and pawing at her chest. "Mine, too."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It was a long time ago. Everyone dies." Libber looked away. "I just hope my dad hangs in there for as long as he can, y'know? 'Do not go gentle into that good night,' that sort of crap."

Krux frowned. "Not a poetry fan?"

"Eh. Most of it's garbage."

She didn't elaborate, and they spent the rest of the walk in silence.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello welcome to update!
> 
> there's a character death in this update (offscreen). wouldn't call it major, wouldn't call it minor either.
> 
> I'm unsure when the next chapter is coming after this; I'm trying to get all my fics on a schedule with the goal of getting a good chunk of them finished by the end of 2020. we'll see how it goes!

Over the following weeks, Krux went out frequently, under the pseudonym of Sander Saunders. He was visiting from the capital, he said, which wasn't a lie. He would be staying with Libber for the time being. Most everyone accepted this and said they were glad to meet him.

He asked a few times about Acronix, but stopped when his question was answered with, "Huh, sounds like the old Master of Time's name," and instead wandered the bustling market by the docks and eavesdropped on the sailor's conversations. Nothing. No leads, nowhere to even start looking.

Maya and Ray stayed inside the house at all times. Often, Krux caught Maya pacing the living room, crossing its width in a few long steps and turning around to cross it again. Ray said she had spent too long cooped up in there. "She's never been good with confinement," he said, and left it at that. None of them had any solutions.

People were looking for Maya and Ray. He saw the posters with their faces. Strangely enough, Krux himself was not on any posters – and he had used his time-stop on the emperor. Surely that was punishable by death.

Libber's baby grew older. So did Ling and Nya. By Krux's estimation, Jay was a few months older than them, but Libber said nothing about Jay's birthday. Maya and Ray celebrated Ling and Nya's first birthday with quiet song and a sweet dish that Nya spread all over the table and Ling immediately threw up.

Maya and Ray's elemental powers were gone by then. For weeks beforehand, Ray would light a single candle in the night, staring at the flame until Maya called him to bed. It took more and more effort as time went on. One day, he couldn't do it. Krux thought he took the loss remarkably well, and he told him as much.

Ray laughed. "It's not gone," he said. "It's in my children – well, one of them." He was holding Ling on his lap at the time, and the child was giggling happily and playing with a torn piece of cloth. "Is it you?" he said to her, tickling her belly and making her screech with laughter. "You've got a fiery spirit, I can tell!"

"Dada," Ling said, and Ray immediately fetched Maya to tell her Ling's first word.

Libber would have lost her powers by then, too. She didn't talk about it, and Krux was not going to be the one to bring it up.

More time passed with no progress. Eight months after Maya and Ray were called in front of the emperor, Gloria knocked on Libber's door.

Libber ushered Maya, Ray, and their twins into the back of the house while Krux answered the door. "Oh, Saunders," Gloria said with none of her usual cheer. "I'm sorry, but i need to speak with Libber."

Krux nodded. "She's taking care of Jay, she should be –"

"I'm here, I'm here!" Libber rushed out with a smile. "Good to see you Gloria, how's…"

She trailed off, staring at Gloria's worn, red eyes. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Gloria took a shuddering breath. "It's Donny, Libber. I'm so sorry, he – he passed away unexpectedly last night."

Krux gasped. Libber's eyes widened. "He's… he's gone?" she said. "My dad, he's…"

"I'm sorry, Libber," said Krux. "If there's anything I can do…"

Libber sobbed and covered her mouth. "No," she choked out. "No, he can't – you said he had years left, not – !"

She broke down in tears. Gloria made as if to hug her, but Libber staggered back away from her. Krux stood there, processing the news. There would have to be a funeral, he thought. A fairly large one; Donny had been an elemental master, after all.

Realization struck. Krux turned and went into the house to where Maya and Ray were hiding.

"We have to go," he said as soon as he opened the door.

Ray jerked his head up. "Now?!"

"Not now," he clarified. "But soon. Libber's father died, and at an elemental master's funeral…"

"Everyone will be there," Maya said. She stood up, holding Ling and Nya. "We need to go before then."

Ray looked between Maya and Krux. "We can't go now," he said. "If Libber's father just died, we need to be there for her. We can't just leave without at least an explanation."

"I know," Maya said. "She'll… she'll understand. She has to."

Krux nodded. "I'm going back out," he said. "Stay here. Stay hidden."

They didn't need him to tell them that, and Krux knew that, too. He said it anyway and went back to the door.

Libber crouched on the ground and sobbed, burying her face in her hands. Gloria knelt down next to her, shedding tears of her own. Krux stood there awkwardly until Gloria spoke. "We need to make the funeral arrangements," she said.

"Go away!" Libber shouted.

Gloria flinched, but didn't move. "Libber, I know this is hard –"

"I said go away!"

Krux sucked in air through his teeth. "You should come back later," he said to Gloria. "I lost my own father, years ago. I'll make sure she's not alone."

It wasn't a lie – Krux's father was dead, after all, even if Krux hadn't had the love for him that Libber had for Donny. He had handled the arrangements during that time, surely he could help Libber through this.

Gloria nodded, slowly. "Okay," she said. "I'll… I'll come back tonight. I'm so sorry, Libber."

She left. Krux stood there for a few moments longer, listening to Libber's sobs, until he cleared his throat and started to speak.

Libber interrupted him. "I don't want you here, either."

Her voice was eerily calm. Krux took a deep breath. "Libber, I –"

"I'm serious." Libber picked herself off the floor and glared at him, her eyes red and swollen. "I want you out. You, Maya, Ray – all of you."

Krux hissed air through his teeth. "Libber, wait. We need to –"

"You don't need to do anything but leave," she said. "And you need to leave _now._ Go tell the others."

"We can't just –"

Libber shoved past him towards where Maya and Ray were still hiding. Caught off guard, Krux staggered to the side before regaining his balance and following. "Libber!"

No amount of pleading from Maya and Ray could change Libber's mind. "I want you out," she repeated. "I don't want you here. Get out."

"We need more time!" Maya held Ling close to her chest while Nya stood up on wobbly legs, gripping her mother's skirt. "We'll leave soon, I promise, but – we need to prepare, we can't –"

"I don't care," Libber said. "You need to leave."

"So you're kicking us out," Ray said, his hands clenched into fists. "Just like that? You've helped us for this long, and now we're on our own."

Maya turned to him, worry evident in her eyes. "Ray, please –"

"She's kicking us out!" Ray said, louder this time. "If we're caught, our children will be murdered! Are you sending them to die?!"

Libber punched him.

Maya screamed. Krux caught Ray as he fell and kept a solid grip on him so he wouldn't retaliate. He opened his mouth, but what could he say? It was clear, now, they couldn't stay here.

"Out," Libber said. None of them argued further.

* * *

Libber's house was on the edge of town. Maya, Ray, and Krux left through the back and went into the forest, carrying Ling and Nya with them. "It's not safe," Maya whispered. "People hunt here!"

"Where else can we go?" Krux snapped, the stress of their situation catching up to him. "We can't go into town. Not with the twins."

Ling was starting to cry. Maya ignored Krux to try and sooth her. They kept going.

They walked for what felt like hours as the sun travelled across the sky. Ling and Nya were both crying when they finally stopped to rest, in the mouth of a cave. Without warning, Ray handed Nya to Krux and went deeper into the cave. "I'm making sure it's safe," he said when Maya asked what he was doing. "Stay there."

Nya squirmed in Krux's arms. "Dada," she whimpered. "Wan' Dada!"

She continued wailing. Krux looked at Maya helplessly. Maya wiped her eyes and sat on the ground, balancing Ling on her knee. "Bring her here," she said, patting her other knee.

Krux gladly handed Nya over and hovered at the entrance to the cave. The sky was starting to cloud over and the air carried the faint scent of rain. Krux hadn't noticed any clouds earlier. He vaguely remembered that the Master of Water could summon rain, but that couldn't be it – Maya would have lost her powers by now, and her children were too young for either one to manifest them. He glanced back at her, but she was busy with Ling and Nya.

He heard footsteps in the cave behind them. "It's empty," Ray said. "We can go further in, if we want."

"Are we going to live in a _cave_ now?" Maya said, raising her voice to be heard over her children's cries.

"Don't worry, Maya. It's just for the night."

"And where will we go then?" Maya clutched Ling and Nya close to her. "Libber was the only one we could trust! If she doesn't want us –"

"We'll figure something out," Ray interrupted. "For now, we should rest."

Maya bit her lip and said nothing. Krux frowned.

"You stay here," he said. "I'm going to find someone who can help us."

Ray and Maya snapped their heads towards him. "Excuse me?" Ray said. "What can you do?"

"Reverse time, for one. I have my elemental powers, remember?" Krux looked back out at the forest. "You have your children to worry about. I'm the only one who can go freely."

"If you're caught –"

"There aren't even any wanted posters for me," Krux said. "Yes, if someone realizes I'm the Master of Time, I'll be in trouble, but so far, no one has. I'm going. You stay here."

"He's right, Ray," Maya said. "We can't stay here forever."

Ray sucked in air through his teeth. "Fine," he said. "You go. Maya, we need to talk."

Krux rolled his eyes and went out into the forest. Soon afterwards, he felt the first drops of rain.

* * *

By the time he reached a road, Krux was completely soaked, and the makeup he used to disguise himself had smeared. He wiped the rest of it off and tried not to worry about it. If someone recognized him, so be it – he would deal with that when it happened.

The road had farmland on one side and forest on the other. Krux vaguely remembered where he was – there was a village at the base of a nearby mountain, wasn't there? If he kept the forest on his left, he was going in the right direction.

The rain came down in sheets. He shivered. The stress of the day was wearing him down – why did Libber kick them out? If she had a problem, she should've said something beforehand, not wait for her father to die! At least, they should have had some warning! Krux clenched his jaw and kept walking, his rage keeping him going.

And what good had Libber done him? He was barely any closer to finding his twin than when he first heard he had one. Certainly, Donny had told him his name, but what good would that do? No one in the town knew of anyone named Acronix. Why would Ray's father keep the name, either, if Krux's father would recognize it? Krux kicked a pebble down the road, which didn't help.

Someone was approaching him; they were too far to make out, but clearly walking towards him. Krux straightened his shoulders and kept walking. Whoever it was, he would just have to hope they wouldn't recognize him.

When he was close enough to see who it was, it was too late.

"Krux?" Wu said. He had an umbrella, but it had done a poor job of keeping him dry in the rain, and his white hair was sticking to the sides of his face. "Master of Time?"

"No," Krux said, his teeth chattering.

Wu frowned. "You're freezing," he said. "Here, this should help."

He held out the umbrella. Krux eyed it warily, but reached to take it. His fingers were so numb, he couldn't grip the handle, and nearly dropped it before Wu took it back.

"Never mind," he said. "Come with me. You're going to freeze to death if you stay out here."

He took Krux's arm and positioned the umbrella above them both. Krux was too cold to argue as he was led down the road.

* * *

Wu had to support Krux as they ascended the mountain. Even with the assistance, Krux's legs ached like they were going to fall off, and he could hardly think through the cold. By the time they reached the building at the top of the stairs, Wu was half-carrying him.

Going inside felt like walking into a furnace. Krux welcomed it.

"I'll get you a change of clothes," Wu said, sitting him down on a soft chair. "Wait here, I'll start some tea."

The storm howled outside. Krux wrapped his arms around himself, still shivering uncontrollably. It hadn't subsided when Wu came back with a plain shirt and pants. "I'll let you change," he said. "Unless you need help…"

Good God, Krux couldn't begin to imagine the embarrassment. "No," he managed to say. "I'll manage."

Wu nodded and left.

When he returned with a mug of tea, Krux had changed out of his soaked clothes and folded them in a neat pile. "Here," Wu said, handing him the mug. "This should warm you up."

Krux sipped the tea and waited for his shivering to cease. "Thank you," he said.

Wu sat down across the room from him. "What happened?" he asked. "You left so suddenly… are you with Ray and Maya?"

"I'm sorry," Krux said, "but I don't know if I can trust you. You were at the execution, after all."

"I understand, but please believe me, my brother and I were only there out of obligation. Had I had a choice…" Wu shook his head. "If they and their twins are safe, I'm glad for it. I have no intention of turning them in."

Krux said nothing.

"Why were you walking in the rain?" Wu asked. "Do you have a safe place to stay?"

"We…" Krux took a deep breath of the tea scent. "We did, until recently."

"And now Ray and Maya are out in the cold with two babies." Wu stood up. "Krux, I would like to offer this monastery as a home for the three of you."

Krux raised an eyebrow. "Even with twins?"

"Yes, even with twins. Ray, Maya, and their children will be safe here."

"And myself?"

Wu frowned. "Why would you be in any danger? You may have fled the palace, but…"

"Wu, Ray and Maya revealed to me that I, too, am a twin, and somewhere in Ninjago lives my brother. I fled the palace because I wanted to find him." Krux narrowed his eyes. "Knowing that, will I be safe here?"

Wu barely hesitated. "Of course," he said. "All of you are welcome here. It's the least I can do."

What choice did they have? The rain was cold, and the twins wouldn't last through the night out in the wilderness. "Very well," Krux said. "I'll show you where they are."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome… to chapter. wu is in this one. remember to like comment subscribe if you enjoy, and follow me at legoshipping @ tumblr and realitynrebirth @ twitter. if u want

Krux was still cold, but the warm clothes and umbrella Wu loaned him helped to stave off hypothermia while they picked their way through the forest. It was nightfall when they reached the cave. "Ray?" Krux called out. "Maya? I brought help!"

"Oh, thank God!" Maya's voice came from deeper in the cave. "Please, come quick!"

Krux glanced at Wu before they both hurried into the cave.

Maya and Ray were huddled together, holding their children between them. Nya quietly cried, her little body shivering, and Ling wasn't moving. Krux's gut twisted. "Is she…?"

"She's still breathing," Ray said, "but if we don't get somewhere warm soon…"

Krux looked back at Wu, who's face was a mask of worry. "Let me see her," he said. "The monastery isn't close, but…"

He stepped forward and knelt down to look at Ling. Krux remembered how long it had taken to get there from the monastery, and how long it would take to get back in the cold night rain.

"Can you do anything?" Maya whispered. "You're the Master of Creation, right?"

Wu sucked in air through his teeth. "My powers… are not typical. I don't know…"

His expression changed. Wu looked at Ray. "You were the Master of Fire. Do you know which of your children inherited your powers?"

Ray shook his head. "They're far too young for either of their powers to have manifested."

"I can force her power to manifest itself. If Ling is the Master of Fire, she'll have the ability to keep herself warm, but if you don't know who inherited which element…"

Maya and Ray looked at each other. "Do it," Ray said. "Half a chance is better than nothing."

Wu nodded and put his hand on Ling's back. He took deep breaths, and a soft gold glow enveloped the child. Maya and Ray watched, shivering. Nya stopped crying and watched with wide eyes.

After a few moments, Ling opened her eyes.

Ray gasped, a smile spreading across his face. Maya sobbed and reached for Ling. "My baby," she whispered, "my little girl… thank you, Wu, thank you, I…"

Krux let out a slow breath.

Ling wailed. Ray hugged her to his chest. "We need to move," he said. "Even with the element of fire, we can't stay here."

"Of course," Wu said, and he stood up. "You will be safe in the monastery. Come – it's a long walk, and you all need to warm up."

Nya started crying again when Maya and Ray got to their feet, reaching for Ling. Krux held the umbrella over them when they exited the cave, though the rain had lightened up a little bit. Seeing how Maya and Ray shivered, Krux found himself wondering if they would make it to the monastery. He forced those thoughts back and focused only on walking.

* * *

When they got to the monastery, Maya and Ray were barely conscious enough to change out of their wet clothes before falling asleep in the room Wu provided for them. Krux was exhausted, too, but he had to stay awake to keep the fire going. "Thank you," he said again to Wu while the other man brought more firewood in. "I don't know what we would've done without you."

Wu put the bundle down and smiled at him. "Really," he said, keeping his voice low, "it's the least I can do. I may be an elemental master, but that doesn't mean I agree with every one of the emperor's actions. I promise, you will be safe here."

Krux nodded. "This is an awful lot of space for just one person," he said. "Does your brother live here?"

"No, not anymore. He's training with Master Chen."

Krux raised an eyebrow. "Master Chen?"

"Not an elemental master, but…" Wu hesitated. "…Garmadon said Chen had many things to teach him. Apparently he's also the father of the next Master of Amber. Chen is, I mean."

"Huh." Krux didn't remember much about the previous Master of Amber, only that she was a few years younger than him and kept to herself. If people his age were already having children… Krux grimaced.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Krux sighed. "Just… thinking about the future, I suppose."

Wu glanced at the sleeping forms of Maya and Ray. "The fire should be set for a little longer," he said. "Let's not wake them."

Krux nodded and followed Wu out of the room.

Wu poured two cups of tea and handed one to Krux. The two of them sat at the table and drank in silence until Wu cleared his throat. "You're looking for your twin," he said.

"Yes."

"What have you found so far?"

Krux sipped at his tea. "We know his name is Acronix," he said. "At least, that was the name my mother gave him. I know he inherited half of my mother's powers, so he's a Master of Time just as I am. Ray's father brought him to Donny – the previous Master of Lightning – but he wasn't able to take him. I don't know what happened after that."

Wu hummed. "If he has powers, it should be possible to find him. He would have the powers of speeding up and slowing down time, correct?"

"I… was not familiar with my mother's powers." Krux stared at his cup. "If those are the powers she had in addition to pausing and reversing time, then yes, those must be what Acronix inherited."

"It's a place to start," Wu said. "I'm assuming he looks like you?"

Krux cracked a smile. "I'd assume so, if we're twins."

"Right, right."

Even with the tea, Krux's eyelids were starting to droop. He caught Wu staring at him with a frown and forced himself to sit up straight. "We've been talking for too long," he said. "I should check on the fire."

Wu stood up before he could. "You should head to bed. I can watch the fire."

"You don't need to do that, Wu, I can –" Krux couldn't suppress a yawn. He took a long drink of his tea and found he had finished the cup.

"Sleep, Krux." Wu smiled. "I'll show you to your room."

Krux sighed and put down his cup. "Fine."

Even after Wu left him in his room, Krux didn't sleep. If Wu was going to rat them out, it would happen tonight, and Krux wasn't going to be caught off guard. He sat in a chair, lit a lamp, and prepared to stay up until morning.

He fell asleep shortly after.

* * *

He woke up when Wu knocked. "Good morning," he called through the door while Krux blinked himself awake. "If you're up, could you help me with breakfast? Maya and Ray are still asleep."

Krux stood up and stretched. "Give me a minute," he mumbled, still disoriented from sleep. At least he felt fully recovered from the cold. He never wanted to repeat the experience of nearly freezing to death.

He exited the room. Outside the door, Wu held Krux's clothes from yesterday, neatly folded. "Do you have any other belongings?" he asked. "Maya and Ray didn't come with much…"

"We didn't exactly have time to prepare," Krux said. "We had no advanced notice before we were no longer welcome."

Wu frowned. "Who were you staying with? If it's not too much to ask…"

Krux opened his mouth, then thought better of it. "Maya and Ray can tell you, if they wish," he said. "I don't think it's my place."

"I understand. I was just curious."

Krux followed Wu into the kitchen, where there was already water boiling for tea. There was a window with a clear view of outside, and Krux found his eyes drifting to it. Something about the courtyard felt off to him, though it took him a few moments to figure it out.

"Are you alright?"

Krux pulled his eyes away from the window. "Why are your gates open?" he asked Wu.

Wu froze, his back to him. "The monastery is open to anyone who needs it," was all he said.

"Is that why you took us in?"

"Of course. What else was I supposed to do? I will not send two children to their execution."

"If you keep letting people in, it might happen regardless."

Wu turned to face him. "I… see what you're saying," he said. "I won't allow any strangers into the monastery, and certainly no one I think will give you up to the emperor. But the gates must stay open."

Krux nodded and decided not to press the issue.

Once breakfast was cooked, Krux knocked on Maya and Ray's door. "Are you up? There's breakfast."

The door opened. "Some of us are," Ray said, holding a giggling Ling against his hip. "Maya and Nya are still sleeping."

Krux looked at Ling, who looked back with a smile. "I take it she's feeling better?" he said to Ray.

Ray rubbed his eyes. "She nearly died, and she has the most energy out of any of us… did you know about Wu's powers?"

"What?"

Ray motioned to Ling, who tried to grab her father's hand. "Awakening someone's elemental power. I didn't know anyone could do that. I'm grateful for it, of course – he saved her life – but it's not what I expected out of the Master of Creation, whatever that means."

Krux squinted at Ling. "Can she use her powers?"

"Not that I can tell, thank God. We'd be terrible guests if we burnt down Wu's monastery on the first night."

Ray cracked a smile. Krux couldn't bring himself to mirror it. "Do you trust him?" he asked.

"Wu?" Ray lowered his voice. "I don't know what to think of him. Do you?"

Krux glanced behind him. Satisfied that Wu was out of earshot, he spoke. "I can't say. He's not an easy man to read."

"We're indebted to him, certainly, but there's a lot we don't know about him and Garmadon. Only the Emperor knows their lineage; to everyone else, they simply… showed up, one day, and took their positions as elemental masters. I'm not surprised he has many secrets."

"Should we trust him to keep us safe?"

"After Libber…" Ray looked down at Ling. "I don't know. I suppose we'll have to wait and see."

Krux nodded. "For now, he seems to be genuine. Are you hungry?"

Ray laughed. "God, yes. I'm starving."

* * *

Ray put Ling back in the room and woke up his wife. Maya joined them to eat. "Thank you so much, Wu," she said between mouthfuls of food. "You saved our lives."

Wu smiled. "You can stay as long as you need to," he said. "I've already spoken to Krux about helping him find his twin."

"You have?" Krux said.

"I thought I implied as much when we talked last night." Wu sipped at his tea; did he ever not have a cup in hand? "I want to help you as much as I can. I know how important family is. You have a name, you know his powers, and that should be enough for me to start looking."

Krux nodded. "I'd like to help," he said. "I've been going out in a disguise, and…" He paused. "I've seen wanted posters for Maya and Ray, yet none for me. Would you now why that is?"

"Well…" Wu hesitated. "The Emperor doesn't know you're a twin. He doesn't know why you stopped the execution, either. I don't know why he wouldn't want to at least speak to you, considering you used your powers on him, but…"

"He must want something with you," Ray said. "The Emperor and Empress aren't ones to let an elemental master go that easily."

Krux frowned. "We can worry about that later," he said. "For now, it appears that I'm not in danger, but I should wear a disguise anyway. Maya and Ray shouldn't go out at all."

Maya sighed. "At least there's more space here…"

"I'm sorry," Wu said. "I wish there was something more I could do…"

Maya jerked her head up from her food. "No, no!" she said quickly. "You're already doing so much for us – we'd be dead in a cave if it weren't for you!"

Ray coughed. "I'm going to check on the kids."

He took a last bite and stood up. Maya moved to follow, but Ray put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, dear, I'll be back in a moment. You keep eating."

"Alright," Maya said, and she sat back down.

"Let me know how Ling is doing!" Wu called as Ray left the room. "I don't think she'll be able to manifest her powers right away," he said to Maya, "but it's best to be prepared. It could take as long as years to mere days."

"I'm just grateful she's alive," Maya said softly.

Krux finished his food and went to put the plate away.

Ray was back when Krux returned to the table. "Asleep," he said. "Ling was up all night, I'm glad she's managed to get some rest, but Nya's slept so long…"

"I can check on her, if you'd like," Wu said.

"Please," Maya said, "that would be wonderful."

She and Wu left the room. Krux fixed his eyes on Ray. "What do we do now?" he asked.

Ray sighed. "I don't know," he said. "I suppose you keep searching for your twin, and Maya and I stay here. There's not much else we can do."

"You have a point. Still…" Krux tapped his fingers on the table. "I don't know how long we can stay here. We'd best start exploring our options. Where are we going next?"

"Krux, don't you realize we have no options?"

Krux blinked. "I…"

Ray grit his teeth and looked away. "I knew my family would never have a normal life the moment the second child was born," he said. "We tried pretending for so long… but if Wu wants us gone one day, there's nothing we can do about it. What kind of life is that for Ling and Nya? Constantly moving, always on the run… how are they going to get an education? How will they have a happy childhood? I want something better for them, but as long as the emperor wants them dead, that's never going to happen."

Krux could only shake his head. "Then we stay here," he said, "for as long as we're able."

"We have no other choice."

Ray looked back at his food and pushed it around on the plate. Krux stood up and left to put away his dishes.

There was a picture on the wall, of Wu and a child Krux didn't recognize. Black hair with a green streak. Krux stared at it for a moment, then dismissed it. They needed to keep their heads down, lest Wu tire of them the way Libber did. It would happen eventually.

Until then, they'd stay.


End file.
